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I took no offense whatsoever from Starter. He has as much right to be opinionated here as any of us, though given that some opinions obviously clash more...

I am of the opinion that this forum could do without the many personal attacks as we can observe nowadays...

DaveS wrote:I wonder if they were smart enough to significantly reduce the force produced by the rear brake. It seems like most brands except Campy forget that a rear brake made just like the front will be prone to easy rear wheel lockup.

I see your point. The trick, particularly with EE brakes I think, is in the better modulation. This means you can more accurately control how much brake pressure you apply and whether or not the front and/or rear wheel locks up, appropriately described in German as "fingerspitzengefühl".

Of course, we all know from experience that locked up wheels means lesser control over the direction of your bike...

Most brake designs have large curved parts that need to stay stiff "round the corner".

The forces through EE brakes travel linear rather than curved and it means things can be stiffer using less material (think getting stabbed with a sword versus whacked with the flat side...). To do that you need a few more pivots...

The brake pads are the simplest things on the planet. I wish I had 5 sets. I would run em on everything I owned...

prendrefeu wrote:Love these brakes... but it's the pricepoint that's killing it for me. KCNC's are 160gm and can be had for less than $230 shipped. That's half the current comparative price!

...and at my weight (68kg/10.8st/152lb), I wonder if I'd really need the upgrade in stopping power.

Extra stopping power always comes in handy IMHO. I find most road bike brakes are pathetic in comparison to those of MTBs. That's a strange scenario because road bikes usually go much faster than MTBs.

I weigh about the same as you Pren... maybe a pound or two less most days. and I can tell you that the smoother action and greater power is something that's a very noticable difference between the EE and something like Zero G (not negative G) and kcnc...

These operate a lot like (in my opinion better than) Dura Ace. The flex is noticable on the KCNC and Zero G even at 145 lbs. That's not a good or bad thing as some folks actually like more range of modulation between initial application and locking the wheel.

There is also twist flex that happens a bit more with KCNC and Zero G where the pads rotate during pressure being applied (changes and becomes more noticable with some brake pads and rim surfaces) and result in chatter and some times a snatchy feel... There is virtually none of this with EE.

The weight is nice, but it's secondary to function for EE.

For those that like more power you'll really like the EE A LOT MORE than KCNC or Standard Zero G... These have power like M5 but M5 can actually be a bit harsh for very light riders, locking the wheels up. That's Great for bigger guys because the added weight means the wheels don't lock up as easy as they will for smaller guys, but the EE have all the power but still have good feel that the M5 lack...

The latest VeloNews had a review of brakes, rating them on stopping distance, perceived power, and perceived modulation. The EE brakes came out on top when weight was considered. The reviewer (Matt Pacocha) claimed the difference in weight between the various brakes, from AX Lightness to Dura-Ace 7800 (7900 was also tested) couldn't be felt. Uhhh.... duh! We're talking maybe 250 grams out of 75 kg. That doesn't mean it's not important, however.

But that's an aside. The point is these brakes look VERY nice. I'll stick with my ZG's, which I like, but for buying new, these brakes look like an excellent choice:

The only downer was the brakes don't work when the quick release is open. There's the same issue with the Zero Gravities, due to the variable mechanical advantage. So don't leave the quick release open .